Back on February 22nd I got out for a day of pow skiing on Jake’s Peak. I was trying to do something fairly mellow and test out my new setup of Black Diamond Zealots with Dynafit Vertical ST bindings. I’ve been a fan of the Zealot’s for a while but I am just now learning about the advantages of the Dynafit binding. They are lighter, tour better, and ski better than any other binding that I have tried. This is nothing new, I’m just awakening to what serious backcountry skiers and ski mountaineers have known for decades. These are the best no compromises AT binding on the market. Look for a full review after I get a few more days on them.

I also tried out the 720p 60 frames per second mode on the VholdR ContourHD 1080p and I think its the best quality video I’ve gotten so far with this thing. It lost some quality when the video was hosted on Vimeo, but you can get the idea. The original file was over 350 MB for a minute and ten seconds of video. Not really feasible for streaming over the net, but it looks amazing on a HD monitor.  The higher frame rate really smoothes out the video, I highly recommend this setting for skiing. As you can see from the video, the snow wasn’t too shabby either.

Jakes Peak Pow 2.22.10 from Nathaniel Mildner on Vimeo.

The last couple of days have been great in the Tahoe Backcountry, but we are now in for a warmer storm that might affect the snowpack pretty high up. We can only wait and see. On Tuesday of this past week, Jeff and I headed up to Rubicon to find some great, cold, north facing powder. Jeff has been using the 22 Designs Axl Telemark Binding this season and he is a big fan. The bindings skis similarly to the 22 Designs Hammerhead binding, but with the free pivot mechanism, he is seeing the big difference……touring!

The binding in tour mode

Jeff wrote a review of the Axl binding here, so check it out. Here are a couple quick shots of the binding in action.

Use your pole to switch between tour mode and ski mode

As you can see from the pic on the left, it is super easy to switch between ski and tour mode with the simple flick of your pole tip.

Generally, for those of you looking for the best Telemark binding for skiing down as well as hiking up, the 22 Designs Axl is a great choice for you.

We also had a chance to play around with our beacons a bit, and we did some testing between the 2 antenna BCA tracker and my 3 antenna Pieps DSP.

The Pieps DSP in "send" mode

We cannot say enough about 3 antenna, digital beacons, but they are truly superior to the 2 antenna beacons of the old days. Not only was I able to search faster and more effectively, I was able to get readings until I was practically on top of the buried beacon. The Pieps DSP is fast, accurate, updateable and most of all, easy to use. Check out the screen shot of the Pieps DSP in the pic on the right. The newest software upgrade is to the 6.2 firmware and Tahoe Mountain Sports is the only authorized upgrade center in Northern California. You can bring your beacon into the store for an upgrade or send it to us and we will send it back to you within 1 business day.

Finally, Pam and I headed up to Jake’s on Wednesday after the very warm storm we got overnight. It was still raining/snowing when we got to the bottom of Jake’s but we went up and braved the weather anyways. It was very wet and heavy up to about 8,000 ft, but then the snow dried out nicely and made for some great skiing on the way down. Here are a couple of other pics of Jeff, Pam and I in the backcountry this week.

A couple weeks ago we got the chance to get our skiing with Brad, our Black Diamond rep up on Rubicon peak.  Of course this trip wasn’t just for fun, we were also out to check out some of next years new Efficient Series skis and boots from Black Diamond.  Specifically the all new Drift ski and Quadrant boot.

Brad on Rubicon

The Drift is the widest ski in the new Efficient series at 100mm under foot (138/100/123) and is meant to please those looking to save weight without sacrificing performance in deep snow. It features a lightweight paulownia wood core and an early rise tip. Think of it as a softer and lighter version of the Verdict with an early rise tip.  Granted we had pretty much perfect hero snow, but I had a blast on these. The early rise kept the tips above the boot top powder and the ski felt equally at home making tight turns and wide arcs through the trees. The 187’s I was on felt just right for me at 6′ tall and the ski will also be available in 176 and 166 for those that prefer a shorter ski.

2011 Black Diamond Drift

2011 Black Diamond Drift

BD Skis Tip Profile, 187 Drift is Furthest Back, then the 176 Drift with Megawatts in the Foreground

The Quadrant is the stiffest of the new Efficient Series boots and is going to fill the light but still stiff niche in the BD line that has been missing.  Its 120 flex is softer than the Factor but comparable in stiffness to the Method but significantly lighter. The boot is a two piece, 4 buckle design but without the switchable soles  of the Factor and Method and built on an all new ultra light chassis.  They were also just as stiff and significantly lighter than my Dynafit Zzeus’.  The Quadrant is the first true lightweight boot that I’ve tried that really felt like they were stiff enough to  drive big skis.

They are built on a different last from the Factor and Method, I’ve been told they are wider all around. However the liner is also thicker. To me they actually felt like they had the same nice tight heel pocket with a little less volume in the toe, which for me is a plus. The fact that they felt a little lower volume than the Factor out of the box could be due to a thicker liner.   Ski boot fit is very subjective, but I was able to throw these on my feet and ski with only the addition of a Superfeet footbed, not something I can do in many boots.  It’s tough to judge a boot from one day out, but I think this boot could be a game changer with a combination of light weight and the solid feel of a much heavier boot. I’ve got a hunch that these will be a hit.

2011 Black Diamond Quadrant

Started hiking up Rose Knob this morning at 6:45am and made it to the skiers left saddle area around 8:30ish. I was on the Black Diamond Zealots with 01 Tele bindings and ascension skins. Mike was of course sporting his new Deuter Freerider Pro 30 backpack. A very difficult and steep skin up during the early morning light gave way to some softer snow once the sun came up and much easier skinning all around. We waited around at the top for about a half hour and our wait was well worth it. We jumped in to the true South face off skiers left shoulder and had just about perfect 1 inch corn all the way out. I was using my Pieps DSP Avalanche Beacon just in case anything had gone, as there was a pretty wet slide path right next to where we were  skiing. Then, it was off to work! Here are some pics:

The new Osprey Hydraulics line of mountain biking, trail running, and multi-sport hydration packs is an all new category for the backpack and travel bag maker and the early word is this is going to be a killer line of packs for a variety of activites. The Raptor series are the smaller packs aimed at mountain bikers and trail runners. The Raptor 6 we got our hands on to test is the smallest in the series with big brothers the Raptor 10,  Raptor 14, and Raptor 18 there for those that need to take a little more gear with them. The Manta series is the bigger end of the Hydraulics line with the versatile Manta 20, Manta 25, and Manta 30 for bikers, day hikers, and multi-sport adventure athletes.

The heart of Osprey Hydraulics is the new Osprey/Nalgene Hydraform Reservoir that is exclusive to the Hydraulics packs. It features a rigid spine and handle combination that makes the reservoir easy to slide in and out of a full pack and a specially shaped plastic panel sewn in between a nylon panel and the back of the reservoir that creates a sort of baffle that forces the reservoir to conform to a specially designed shape that fits perfectly with the reservoir compartment on the packs. The result is a reservoir that is easy to take in and out of the pack and keeps the water compressed so that the water doesn’t slosh around inside and upset your balance during your active adventures. Osprey is the first company to really think about how the pack and resevoir interact and design a system that is a lot more than a bag full of water and a sleeve in the pack. It may seem to be making something simple more complex than it needs to be, but attention to detail is  what makes Osprey stand out from the crowd.

The Osprey Hydraulics Hydraform Reservoir

The Raptor 6 we got for early testing here at Tahoe Mountain Sports is just the right size for a couple hour bike ride or trail run. It has just enough space for 2L of water, a pump, tube, and flat repair kit, and a few energy bars. If you’re looking to take a camera and an extra layer, you may want to step up to the higher capacity Raptor 18.

Osprey Raptor 6 With Front Pocket Open

Both the Raptor and Manta Series packs share a lot of innovative features aside from the new Hydraform Reservoir system. One of them is the new LidLock helmet holder, a simple oval shaped plastic piece attached with stretch cord that you can thread through a helmet vent and turn to simply and firmly attach a helmet. Another is the magnetic sternum buckle that keeps your hydration hose in easy reach. Also the AirScape suspension and back system to keep your back cool and the pack secure.

Osprey Raptor 6 with LidLock holding a bike helmet

Overall the Osprey Hydraulics line looks like its going to live up to the hype and deliver some of the best multi-sport hydration packs around. The only gripe that I have with the pack is that its difficult to get all of the water out of the reservoir when you are done using it, opening up the possibility of mold and bacteria growing in there. However the reservoir does have an special coating on the inside to prevent this kind of growth, so this will likely be a minor gripe.

The Osprey Hydraulics line is being released soon and we expect to have all packs in stock and ready to ship by 2/25/10. These have been drawing a lot of interest so if you want to get in on the first shipment I recommend placing a pre-order today!

Osprey Raptor Series Back System

So I’ve been taking the VholdR Contour HD 1080p out to Squaw and experimenting with different mounts and settings.  There are tons of people out riding with various POV camera setups these days and getting some awesome footage. My favorite setup so far is with the Vented Helmet Mount set up on top of my Smith Variant and the camera shooting in the 960p Tall HD mode. This mode has a taller 4:3 aspect ratio compared to the  16:9 wide screen view of the 1080p mode.  It makes it much easier to get both the ground/skis and the horizon in the shot which gives the video nice perspective.  I haven’t gotten a true bluebird powder day yet, but I’ve been impressed with the footage I’ve been getting in less than stellar light conditions. The video below was shot at Squaw on Feb 3rd and 4th.

Our unofficial buddy Miles Clark has been absolutely tearing up Squaw recently and skiing some impressive lines with his ContourHD rolling. He uses the Flat Surface Mount on the side of his helmet and usually shoots in in 1280 x 720 720p HD. He has this setup pretty dialed and the footage looks great! The quality of the skiing in Miles’ videos is on another level compared to mine so check out his blog and see what its like to jump pretty much every cliff at Squaw! His video below was also shot on Feb 3rd and 4th, just with a few more interesting line choices than mine!

Headed up to the Spark Plug area of the Mt. Rose Backcountry this morning. We didn’t know what was going on with the snow up there, but we were pleasantly surprised by the softness and deepness of the pow on all but the south facing slopes. Lots of wind transport overnight along with an extra couple of inches of precip really smoothed things out and we barely saw another track the whole time. On this ski, I really debated between taking the Black Diamond Verdicts or the Black Diamond Megawatts, but I took the Megawatts and I was happy I did. The Megawatts have pretty much been with me on every backcountry trip I have taken this winter and I just love the way they slay the powder. I was wearing my trusty Cloudveil Serendipity Jacket with Cloudveil Koven Pants and it was a perfect combo in 20 degree cold and blowing weather, while hiking and working up a sweat. Of course I was wearing by Icebreaker underneath because the Atlas BF150 is the only way to go. No Vholdr videos today, but I did get a few pics.

I just got back from a quick trip to Utah that took Mike and I snowkiting for 2 and a half days at Skyline, Utah and then off to Outdoor Retailer to see all the new outdoor gear for next winter. We met up with Brian and Heather from Ozone Kites USA down in Mt. Pleasant, Utah, borrowed some Ozone Manta and Ozone Frenzy kites and headed up the hill for some fantastic conditions. For those that have never been to Skyline before, just imagine a road at 9,500 ft that is 30 or so miles long and is plowed all winter long and is above tree line! All the days we were there, it was pretty stormy and cloudy, but it seemed to clear up long enough for us to get 3 amazingly killer sessions in. The video below, taken with the Vholdr ContourHD 1080p was filmed at about 5:00 pm with the Vholdr goggle mount and just look at the clarity and light in the footage. I was really impressed as to how the Vholdr picked up the snow and the kite in the super flat light. Check out the Vholdr video:

None of my blog posts would be complete without some sort of outdoor gear review included, so here is that part. I certainly had a hard time deciding which skis to bring on this trip, as I knew there would be powder awaiting us in Utah. So, instead of going with the trusty powder boards that I am used to (Black Diamond Megawatts), I took the Black Diamond Zealots in order to be a bit more versatile in case I needed that option. I really like this years Zealots as they are fat enough to rock the powder and crud and with the slight rocker in the tip, they just rule it in such a huge variety of conditions. For snowkites, I was flying the new Ozone Manta III 12m, which is by far my favorite kite due to its awesome combination of power, turning ability, and pop…….and wow does that kite just want to pop! Mike was using the Ozone Frenzy 11m and it was the perfect kite for him as it did not overpower him and his more intermediate/advanced skills. As for our snowkiting harnesses, there really is none other than the Ozone Harness with the D-ring. It is so low profile, light weight, not bulky and super comfortable. I had about 50 pics to post as well, but I moronically deleted them with a simple click of the mouse, so oh well, that’s what we get for working with too much technology these days!

Get out there snowkiting and send us your stories!

This week mother nature gave us a fairly warm storm that left very little snow at lake level but a foot or so of cream cheese above 8000 feet. Although this storm looks like little more than a warm up considering the series of storms NOAA is predicting for next week, but it was an extremely fun day to be on snow. The weather was pretty variable, with the sun in and out of the clouds and snow showers periodically throughout the day. The VholdR ContourHD did a great job of adjusting to changing light conditions and got some good footage in so so light conditions. Check It Out!

In a field-test in this month’s Backcountry Magazine, Mammut’s Pulse Barryvox avalanche transceiver is deemed Editors’ Choice among six beacons tested. Five testers, ranging in beacon experience from a veteran avalanche professional and seasoned backcountry skiers to an eight-year old first-time user, employed the beacons in both single and multiple burial scenarios. The three-antenna Pulse Barryvox emerged as the clear choice among Backcountry Magazine’s test team and editors.
All beacons were assessed on the same criteria: range, secondary search, pinpointing, multiple burial scenarios, and ergonomics. “There was ultimately one unanimous winner,” states Backcountry. “When asked, after completing their testing, which beacon they would choose, all testers selected the Pulse Barryvox, Backcountry Magazine’s 2010 Editors’ Choice.”

Mammut has received the same feedback again and again from over 20 professional organizations, from guide services and helicopter ski tour operators to ski resorts and backcountry patrol crews. Long recognized among professionals for its user-friendly operation, a new firmware update to the Pulse now renders it the easiest to use beacon for first-time users as well, like Backcountry’s young tester. The Pulse is now easier than ever to use right out of the box, with the Basic mode as simple as follow the arrow to the avalanche victim.

The Advanced mode allows for more experienced users to set their preferences, or for professionals to maintain fleets of beacons – a key reason that esteemed guiding services and high-profile resorts are switching to the Pulse en masse. Pulse fleets are currently in use at Canadian Mountain Holidays, Chugach Powder Guides, Telluride Heli Trax, Sun Valley Heli Ski and a host of other well-known guiding operations as well as patrols at Aspen Ski Company, Snowbird, Crested Butte, Alyeska, The Canyons and many other destinations.

“The V.3.0 firmware upgrade retains all of the function of the previous Pulse Barryvox, with the addition of a separate simplified interface for the novice user, what we call the “basic user-profile”,” said David Furman, Hardgoods Category Manager for Mammut Sports Group USA. “It makes the Pulse not only the best choice for highly qualified users and pros, but the best choice for anyone heading out in avalanche terrain.”

With the new firmware, the Pulse retains its feature-rich function in the advanced user-profile, and adds a simple, easy to use interface for the basic or novice user. Enhancements include the Basic and Advanced
user profile settings, increased receiving range, and more effective search functions. The new firmware is standard on all new Pulse Barryvox beacons, and existing units can be upgraded at select dealers nationwide. Firmware upgrade sites can be found online at: http://www.mammut.ch/newfirmware or by reaching Mammut USA customer service at 1.800.451.5127.

About the Mammut Pulse Barryvox

Designed with a team of Swiss engineers over the course of several years, Mammut’s Pulse Barryvox was developed with a third antenna for increased accuracy and with the goal of providing rescuers with a transceiver that is fast, easy, and effective to use in both simple and complicated search scenarios. The third antenna allows for smooth, precise pinpointing at short range as well as in deep burial situations. It was the first 3-antenna transceiver with both digital and analog modes, and the first transceiver to communicate pulse and respiration information to rescuers.

The Pulse Barryvox is also the first transceiver to point to the location of the buried subject correctly even as the rescuer is moving away, eliminating the common “180-degree” flip-flop error because the display arrow points to the location of the buried subject in 360 degrees at all times.

Additional features of the Pulse Barryvox intended to increase rescue efficiency include the simple directional display for pinpointing utilizing the third antenna, automatic signal separation allowing the user to select and search for one signal at a time turning difficult multiple burials into a series of simple single-burials.